The International Crane (ICF) is a founding member of the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership, a public and private collaboration established in 2001 to reduce the likelihood of extinction for this endangered bird. Our main task is to breed and reintroduce a migratory, self-sustaining flock into the eastern United States.

With your help, over the past eight years, ICF and partners have achieved many significant milestones toward this extraordinary goal.

2001 Since the program’s inception, aircrafts have guided the juvenile cranes from Wisconsin to Florida. They return north unassisted each spring.

2003 With just 20 young birds in the flock, we observed the first pair bonding between cranes.

2004 We celebrated the first nests built at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge.

2006 The Midwest witnessed its first wild Whooping Crane hatching in over 100 years!

2008 A record 11 nests (most with eggs) were found, however successful hatching was elusive.

We believe we are on the cusp of witnessing significant reproduction in this flock a major step toward achieving the project’s overall goal: 120 Whooping Cranes with 30 or more breeding pairs.

Before this is realized, we need to determine if something is interfering with wild reproduction and learn how we might help. It is possible that simple interventions may improve breeding conditions for the cranes. To that end, ICF and partners will launch a comprehensive nesting study this spring to explore important questions such as are the cranes finding enough to eat while nesting? Are black flies driving birds off nests during critical incubation periods?

We will also work with our resident flock at ICF’s World Headquarters to breed and raise cranes for release this fall. Currently, we have 10 breeding pairs and hope to grow this number as well.

ICF is strongly committed to this long-term conservation priority that requires significant investment each year. The work continues because people like you also believe it to be a priority.

This reforestation will work to rebuild the forests of Undabaso. This area is located in the municipality of Muxika, in the province of Bizkaia, in the Basque Country. The area is included in the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve.

Fundación Lurgaia, by means of the Quercus program, aims to recover part of the lost forests and, hence, their value for biodiversity as well as the goods and services they provide to the society. In addition to this, this project aims to improve the habitat of endangered species, improve the water cycle, reduce land erosion and loss of soil, improve the ecological status of the water bodies, remove invasive species and long term upkeep and fixation of CO2.

More than 35 species will be planted, including, Quercus robur, Betula alba, Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Acer campestre, Ilex aquifolium, Salix sp., Taxus baccata, Castanea sativa, Alnus glutinosa, Cornus sanguinea, Fagus sylvaticus, etc.